The Overlooked Laundry Trick That Keeps Colors Bright And Clothes Smelling Fresh

Laundry seems simple enough. Toss your dirty clothes in the machine, put it on the appropriate setting, and let technology do its thing. It's pretty easy... until you start to notice that your orange shirt isn't as bright as it used to be and frankly smells more than a little funky. You've tried everything: Soaking, pretreating, sorting your laundry loads by color. Before you swap out your laundry detergent (or, in more extreme cases, your entire washing machine), there's one simple tip you've likely not considered: Turning your clothes inside out.

We know taking the time to turn each piece of laundry inside out is a pain. While it's much easier to dump and run, taking the extra few minutes to invert everything before it goes into the wash helps freshen your clothes, protect those bright colors and graphic tees, and can actually make your washing machine last longer. Let's dive into why.

This trick is often overlooked because it feels too good to be true. How can simply turning clothes inside out protect the color and make them smell fresh? For starters, our clothes are typically dirtiest on the inside. Think sweat, discarded skin cells, and, well, you get it. By turning your laundry inside out, it's easier for the detergent and the washer's agitation cycle to scrub the dirtiest parts of the fabric.

But while that agitation cycle excels at breaking apart odor-causing dirt and bacteria, it's also the likely reason your favorite shirt is losing some of its brightness. By inverting your clothes, the inside takes the brunt of the color-eroding abrasion, keeping the outside bright, vibrant, and looking as good as new. The same goes for those dark jeans you're worried will lose their color in the wash. Turning the garment inside out and using cooler temperatures are some of the best ways to wash dark colors to keep them from fading.

Turning clothes inside out doesn't just work for colors; it's also essential for graphic tees or any clothes with embellishments. These delicate decorations are susceptible to the washing machine's agitation, just like your brights. Flipping them to the inside before tossing them in the washer is key to keeping those stylish designs intact and damage-free.

If you didn't just start washing clothes yesterday, chances are you've pulled a sweater out of the washer at least once to find new pilling along the sleeves. That's because how you wash your clothes not only affects their color and designs, but also their wear life. Now, to be clear, turning your clothes inside out won't stop pilling or unraveling, but it ensures any damage or signs of wear stay hidden. This helps you wear your garments for longer, especially if you haven't figured out the best way to get rid of pilling on your clothes.

Turning your clothes inside out is also crucial to keeping your washing machine running smoothly. Clothes with external zippers, buttons, clasps, or the like can scratch or nick the inside of your machine during the wash cycle. By turning items inside out, you cut down the chances of potential damage. This practice also reduces wear on the threads holding buttons or clasps in place, lowering the chance that they break free and get stuck in your washer's drum.